Asura: The Tale of the Vanquished
Asura: The Tale of the Vanquished is a new perspective set by the first time author Anand Neelakantan to view the greatest story ever told – The Ramayana- in a new perspective i.e. through the viewpoint of Ravana. Topping the Bestseller lists, Asura has created a ripple in the already flourishing Indian genre of turning mythology into fictional history.
When a once glorious Asura empire is shattered into small territories under appalling leadership, the Asura people are forced to live under the caste biased tyranny of Devas. When the Asura economy is stagnant, culture on its ebb and people in poverty, they find a saviour in the form of a half-Brahmin boy- Ravana who through his sheer determination and good fortune soon emerges as the greatest Asura emperor. The glory of his empire, the bliss of his people, the dreams he cherished are all ruined only because of his care for his family, his devotion towards his country and his trust on his relatives.
While Ramayana is the glorification of Ram’s victory over evil, Asura is essentially a Ravanayana which is the story of how Ravana flourished to become the greatest ruler and then perished to be known as the eternal villain. The brilliance of the story is that the narration is set between two distinct personalities: one a conqueror of lands, the greatest ruler, Ravana and the other a loser in all terms, an insignificant common man: Bhadra. The story revolves around the experiences of these two people through the events of Ramayana. The author has efficiently managed to portray Ravana as the hero and still maintains Ram, the nemesis in good light.
The book is in every way a revolution. It not only provides a fascinating reading experience but also changes the psyche of how we look upon the myths and epics of India. While Ravana’s ten faces is portrayed as the ten basic traits of human beings, Varuna, the God of the ocean, is depicted a Sea pirate. The book is the best example of a logical mythology. In this age of nuclear families many have been kept apart from the stories of grandparents. Hence they have only a brief acquaintance with the Indian mythology. While we kill Ravana each year during Dussera and his death celebrated as the flourishing of good over evil, while films like Ra.One projects Ravana as super-villains this book is really a standout experience which leaves the mind curious about knowing more about the eternal villain.
Asura: The Tale of The Vanquished is a spellbinding journey which leaves you wanting for more even long after completing the book. But by the end of the book you will be left in a mesmerising dilemma of what is good and what is evil.
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